A Father's Prayer

Build me a Son, O Lord, who will be strong enough
To know when he is weak, and brave enough
To face himself, when he is afraid;
One who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat.
And humble and gentle in victory.

Build me a Son, whose wishbone will not be
Where his Backbone should be;
A son, who will know Thee
And that to know himself is
The foundation stone of knowledge.

Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort,
But under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge.
Here let him learn to stand up in the storm;
Here, let him learn compassion for those who fail.

Build me a Son, Whose heart will be clear,
Whose goal will be high;
A Son who will master himself before he seeks to
Master other men;
One who will learn to laugh,
Yet never forget how to weep;
One who will reach into the future,
Yet never forget the past.

And after all these things are his,
Add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor,
So that he may always be serious,
Yet never take himself too seriously.
Give him humility, so that he may always
Remember the simplicity of true greatness,
The Open mind of true wisdom,
The meekness of true strength.

Then, I his Father, will dare to whisper,
“I have not lived in vain.”

~General Douglas MacArthur